Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I want you to know about an incredible event that is happening RIGHT NOW and what you can do to help.

160 people with disabilities from 25 states and 2 from Switzerland are marching and rolling from the Liberty Bell to Capitol Hill. That's 144 miles! They left Philly on Sept. 4th and will arrive in DC on September 17th. On that day, we will have the biggest ever disability rights rally in history at 1pm at Upper Senate Park at the US Capitol.

Right now, Federal law guarantees funding for nursing homes, but does not guarantee that the same dollars sre spent to help people stay in their own home (at a significant savings to taxpayers in most cases). The marchers are seeking what we consider to be REAL Medicaid reform, so that there are federal guarantees for people to live in the community, in their own homes, instead of being forced into nursing homes or other institutions to get services they may need.

Why are they doing this? The marchers are doing this for US! For our families and friends! They are doing this so none of us is forced into a nursing home when we could live in our own home with assistance if that is our choice. They are doing this because right now people like you and me get forced into nursing homes every day after a catastrophic injury or illness or due to a disability that is part of the aging process. They aren't doing this for themselves, it's already happened to most of them!

So far, despite our best efforts, the mainstream media hasn't gotten what a HUGE story this is. Look at the pictures- visit the website- the photo and story ops are incredible!

http://gallery.adapt.org/ and www.freeourpeople.org

2 THINGS WE NEED YOU TO DO:

1. Contact any and all media connections you have (or make some new ones) and pitch this story. If you can't jump in with both feet, pick one reporter or news show and get their attention. Keep yourself and them updated daily at http://gallery.adapt.org/  and www.freeourpeople.org  - this is a phenomenal media opportunity... a smart reporter could win awards telling this (largely untold) story! If you're from media and you get this, do all you can to cover or get someone else to cover this story.
2. Come to Washington DC on September 17th and join the marchers for the biggest disability rights rally in history. 1pm Upper Senate Park, US Capitol Grounds, 2 blocks from Union Station. Tell your friends to come! Spread the word. Don't miss it!

If you aren't excited yet... READ THIS:

The Free Our People March Enters Delaware.
The ADAPT March crossed into Delaware today getting 16.3 miles closer to Congress. Mike Oxford who is heading up the mobile physical plant that is recharging and repairing the wheelchairs in the march was estimating that about 20 percent of the power chairs just couldn't make the 16 miles. Mike is also coordinating the vans that are retrieving those with mechanical >problems or dead batteries.

"Yesterday, many of the power chairs had difficulty with the rain," said Mike, "more than 15 people had to be picked-up along the road."

Today, the longest day of the march, over 40 of the power chairs ran out of juice. People used their last bit of power or were pushed by fellow marchers onto the sidewalk to wait for a ride to the camp.

Those with strong batteries pushed the March forward making it difficult for one marcher to keep up. Adam Nielsen of Boulder Colorado is determined to march the entire distance. Adam uses forearm crutches and typically has no trouble keeping pace with the march, but with the extra long distances today he fell behind creating a gap that the Delaware State Police said was not acceptable.

Everyone on the march was tired and there was a lot of pressure on Adam to get a ride from the trailing van. But Adam continually refused the ride and pushed on. The marchers saw how Adam had accepted the challenge and refused to give up. The pressure to get into the van collapsed and the ADAPT Community around Adam adopted his pace and everyone, though tired, dehydrated and scorched, joined him in his effort.

Soon Adam was out front, leading the march. The pace picked up and the ADAPT Community was sharing in the personal dedication to accomplishment of Adam. Adam led the entire final mile and found a large group of cheering supporters, waiting as he turned into the parking lot that had become the Free Our People camp.

Here's lots more on the March and Rally:

www.freeourpeople.org

and here's the most recent press release:

ADAPT
1339 Lamar Square Drive  #101
Austin, TX  78704
(512) 442-0252

For Immediate Release
September 6, 2003

For More Information, contact:

Marsha Katz:(406) 544-9504
Bob Kafka: (512) 431-4085

September 6--Wilmington--During the next 2 weeks, ADAPT (American Disabled
for Attendant Programs Today), a national disability rights group, is marching 144 miles from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to Upper Senate Park in Washington, DC.  Yesterday, over 150 people continued the Free Our People march, which began on Thursday, travelling sixteen miles from Glenolden, Pennsylvania, to Wilmington Delaware.  They camped last night at the Goodwill Industries, in the parking lot.

A press conference in Wilmington will kick off today's segment of the march (ten miles to New Castle, Delaware)

Where:  Rodney Square (King Street between  10th and 11th)
When:  12 Noon
Who:  Free Our People marchers and supporters, Daniese McMullin-Powell of ADAPT of Delaware, and speakers from offices of Senator Joe Biden and Mayor Baker.

The numbers continue to grow with each overnight stop. Many of those who are marching use wheelchairs, and a significant number once lived in nursing homes.  Several of the marchers still do. People from twenty five different states are marching, as well as two from Switzerland.

The Free Our People March, which culminates with a rally expected to draw over 20,000 people on September 17th, is part of ADAPT's campaign to pass MiCASSA (S.971/HR 2032), a bill before Congress which would eliminate the institutional bias in the Medicaid program.  The group is seeking what it considers REAL Medicaid reform, so that there are federal guarantees for people to live in the community, in their own homes, instead of being forced into nursing homes or other institutions to get services they may need.

ADAPT notes that every day people with disabilities and older Americans have their lives "stolen" when they are forced into nursing homes by Medicaid's "institutional bias."   Budget woes in nearly all states have seen state legislatures slash state budgets, especially the Medicaid programs. Under Medicaid, states are not allowed to cut federally mandated services, like nursing homes, so first on the budget chopping blocks are the so-called "optional" services, like "home and community based" attendant services and
supports. These "optional" services are the ones that help older and disabled Americans stay in their own homes rather than be forced into nursing homes and other institutions. "Optional" services are at additional risk under the proposed Bush budget, which would cap the amounts states spend for optional services while maintaining all currently mandated services (e.g. nursing homes) under Medicaid.

While Congress and the states talk about a program-wide "fix," there is no guarantee that home and community based services will be protected, even though every poll on the subject has overwhelmingly underscored the need and desire for home and community based long-term care rather than institutionalization in a nursing home. On the contrary, states have already begun to cut services that allow people to remain in their own homes and communities.

Additional press conferences:

Saturday September 13th at 12 Noon
Inner Harbor, near USS Constitution at Pratt and Light
Baltimore, MD

Wednesday, September 17th at 1PM
Upper Senate Park (Constitution between New Jersey and Delaware)
Washington, DC

• Previous: Wheeling and Able Golf Classic Lyman Orchards Championship Golf Course
• Next: New Center a Hub for Spinal Cord Injury Victims
• Back to Archives
• Send This Article to a Friend!